Archery golf/ distance shot mystery

[Greg Szalewski]

This past weekend the Wisconsin Traditional Archers held an archery golf event at the north Fond Du Lac Archery Golf Club. This was my third time shooting archery golf. So now that I am an expert(not really)I want to know why one shot ALWAYS goes right.

It is hole number seven. It is 166 yards which is near the max I can shoot with my 680 grn hunting arrows. The fairway is along the base of a hill that slops up to the left. It is not to steep, may 10 to 15%. It does go down a bit more on the right but not more than 4, 5 feet. From the shot to the ball the elevation is pretty level with the ball perhaps a few feet higher.

If you aim at the ball you will be on the right edge of the fairway at best. You have to aim for the left edge which is about 25 ft left of the ball. When you shoot the arrow is going towards the left edge on the way up but near the top of the arch it starts to drift right. It makes no difference if it is dead calm like last Sunday. It always goes right.

I talked to some long time club members and everyone has the same experience except those shooting the flat shooting arrow launching devices.

Why does it do that?

[Pete McMiller]

Greg,

Sorry I missed this event, sounds like a lot of fun.

First thing that comes to mind is that you are shooting from uneven ground making it more difficult to set your back into the shot and it's collapsing slightly.  Of course this theory goes out the window if it also happens to left handed shooters.

OR....your arrows are going so slow that the earth is moving while the arrow is in the air.        

[McDave]

I don't know how many other side hill shots you have on the course, but there is a tendency to miss in the direction of the slope.  This isn't a problem for compound shooters who have a leveling bubble, because level is level, but a trad shooter may feel level when really he's not.  You can try leaning into the hill a little or compensating by aiming to the left a little.

The other problem you might have is that if you are anticipating a problem, you might have more of a tendency to peek, which will mess up your shot, so focus on keeping your head down through follow through.

[Greg Szalewski]

Oops, I forgot to mention that it is shot off of a raised level platform that is about two feet above grade. I suspect this was added to try and correct this phenomenon.

[Pete McMiller]

Does it happen equally to left and right handed shooters?

[Greg Szalewski]

I don't know if it happens to lefties but I think the club members that I asked would have said either way when I asked. The one long time member said the shot was an optical illusion.

[schlaggerman]

Greg, I would have to agree with McMiller. Shooting a 690 gr. arrow the earth has definitely rotated enough to throw your shot off.            Actually I would suspect a cross wind up above the trees that isn't detectable at ground level, especially because you say the arrow appears to "drift". Land contours and vegetation could cause these breezes up higher. Hope to see you this weekend at Wausau Trad Shoot.

[FoCoBlackWidow]

I would have guessed it was from Dale tapping the limb tip just as you're about to let the arrow fly...

[bjansen]

I shot it myself and went right...as well as watched my wife aim dead down the middle of the fairway and lose her arrow in the right side brush.  It is an odd thing....and was not caused by wind.

[Greg Szalewski]

I am sure the wind was not a factor. It was from the east Friday, west Sat, calm Sunday. There are many shots longer out there and for the most part the arrows fly straight.

Dale, you bet we will be at RBM. Always a great shoot. Some of the people there are alright too.  

I can't answer your question, but i have played archery golf, and it is a ball of fun!

So, do y'all have 18 holes?

Bisch

[Greg Szalewski]

Yes, it is 18. From what I am told it is the only 18 hole permanent course in the US.

 http://www.archerygolfwi.com/